Background

The first home-grown superstar to emerge in Jamaican athletics was Gerald Claude Eugene Foster. He was born in Kingston on November 30, 1885, and entered Wolmer's Boys' School in 1894, an institution where organized sports was promoted as an integral part of the school curriculum.

Sports and physical exercise were a way of life for the young 'G.C.' As a boy, he walked everywhere, and on weekends, he and his friends would ride their bicycles from their homes in central Kingston up to August Town, some seven miles away. As a young man, his daily regime began with calisthenics on his medicine board and often included a three-mile hike to the Wareika Hills before going to work at the Administrator General's Department. He also swam regularly across the Kingston Harbour.

At Wolmer's, G.C.'s exceptional talent as a sprinter became evident when as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he was given a 10-yard handicap in a 100-yard race against the city's leading sprinter, M.L. Ford, and won by three yards. In 1904, before his 19th birthday, he ran the 100 yards in 10 seconds, a time that was clearly comparable to the 11 seconds run by Archie Hahn of the United States to win the Olympic 100-metre finals in St Louis that same year.

Jamaica's First Open Track and Field Competition

In 1906 Jamaica's first open track and field competition was staged at the newly refurbished Kensington Cricket Club. Races were run in three classes: under-14, over-14, and open. The flat races ranged from 100 yards to the mile, and in addition, there were 120-yard hurdles, the pole vault and the cricket-ball throw.

G.C. won the 100 and 220 yards while his brother, 'AJ', took the 440 and 880 yards. Other winners included J.M, 'Fire' Hall of Jamaica College in the under-14, and Fred Mercier in the over-14 classes. A special feature was an inter-schools 4 x 100 yards relay, which was won by a Wolmer's team comprising Fred Mercier, J.M. Nethersole, Jim Morrison and E.S. Hendricks, the father of the celebrated Jamaica and West Indies wicket-keeper, Jackie Hendricks.

In 1908, G.C. Foster shocked the Jamaican athletic community by winning the 100 yards in the Open Championships in 9.8 seconds to establish a new Jamaican record, beating the island's leading sprinters, H. Simms and M.L. Ford, in the process. In a subsequent meet, he lowered his time to 9.7 seconds 0.1 seconds outside the existing world record. He had become the first home-grown Jamaican sprinter to establish world-class credentials.

G.C. Foster and the 1908 London Olympics

The fourth summer Olympic Games was scheduled to be held in London in 1908. With a 9.7 clocking under his belt, G.C. had clearly earned a place among the world's leading sprinters. The pace had been set by John Owen Jr of the Detroit Athletic Club, who, on October 11, 1890, had become the first amateur to break the 10-second barrier when he ran 9.8 seconds at the AAU Championships that year. In 1902, Arthur Duffy, who attended Boston High School, lowered the record to 9.6 seconds in the AAA Championships held in New York on May 31. Then the Olympic Games of 1904 and 1906 confirmed the arrival of Archie Hahn, Nate Cartnell and Fay Moulton, all of the United States, to the ranks of elite sprinters. Finally, by 1908, Reggie Walker (South Africa), Robert Kerr (Canada) and James Rector (USA) emerged as the leading contenders for the Olympic crown.

This was the field against which G.C. sought to compete when he wrote to the celebrated British athletic coach, Harry Andrews, to assist him in his bid to enter the 100 metres at the Olympics. He booked his passage on a banana boat only to be told on his arrival that since Jamaica was not affiliated to the International Olympic Association, he was not eligible to compete in the Games. Fortunately for G.C. and Jamaica, Andrews persuaded him to remain in England and participate in the meets which were held after the Games.

In the Olympics that year, there were 62 entries from 17 countries in the 100 metres. Only the winners of the 17 heats went on to the semi-final round from which only the winners of the four semi-finals qualified for the finals. The winner was Reggie Walker of South Africa in a time of 10.8 seconds, and fourth place went to Nate Cartnell of the United States in a time of 11 seconds. There is no doubt that G.C. Foster's 9.7 clocking over 100 yards would have made him competitive at the Olympics, had he been able to compete. The proof came in the meets after the games.

Foster ran the 100 metres in 10 post-Olympic track meets held in England and Ireland. While his win over Irish-American sprinter A.J. Northridge is the most celebrated in Jamaica, it was his defeat of John Morton (Great Britain), Nathanial Sherman (USA), and Patrick Roche, the Irish national champion, which confirmed his class. In the Olympics, Morton had run 11.2 seconds in his heat to place second, while Sherman and Roche had each run the same time as Morton to win their respective heats and gone on to second place in their respective semi-finals.

G.C. returned to Jamaica having established that a home-grown, home-trained Jamaican athlete could compete with the best in the world. He also brought with him a storehouse of knowledge acquired from his interactions with Harry Andrews, which he would use over the next 50 years to establish the technical foundations on which the superstructure of Jamaican athletics has been built.

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Jamaica’s Demish Gaye (second right) runs to win the men’s 400m in 45.08 seconds at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet at National Stadium on Saturday. American Matthew Hudson-Smith (left) was fourth in 45.70.

Young Jamaican prodigy Christopher Taylor stole the spotlight at the 15th staging of the Jamaica International Invitational (JII) Meet, which produced three records, a world-leading performance, and five Jamaican wins inside National Stadium on Saturday.

Taylor, along with Elaine Thompson, Janieve Russell, Shericka Jackson and Demish Gaye, provided locals with a lot to cheer about.

American Anna Price broke the hammer throw record with a world-leading 76.27m. Nigeria's Eses Brume leapt 6.82m for the women's long jump record, and Jamal Wilson of The Bahamas soared to 2.28 and equalled the men's high jump record on an evening interspersed with rain.

But what must be the performance of the meet, especially from a Jamaican perspective, Taylor, the Calabar High School 18-year-old star, upstaged Olympic 400m champion Lashawn Merritt and the 2015 World Championships 200m bronze medallist Anaso Jobodwana of South Africa and brought the house down.

In front of a relatively small gathering, fans witnessed the coming of age of Taylor who, running blind from lane seven with no one in lane eight, was never headed and actually was going away at the end for a most facile victory, which ignited the crowd.

Taylor clocked 20.49 seconds with both Merritt and Jobodwana second and third with identical 20.72-seconds finishes with American Marqueze Washington back in fourth in 20.82 seconds.

Taylor, sporting a bright orange and black outfit, left the blocks quickly and was challenged by Jobodwana off the curve, but he responded well to send the stadium into ecstasy.

“It's a great feeling. It's a motivation for me going forward seeing that I am just 18 and I was in there with the big boys and I came out victorious; and this just a big motivation for me going into the World Juniors,” beamed Taylor.

“It wasn't difficult running from lane seven, as I asked coach if he could get me lane seven so I wouldn't have much corner to run, and I just came out and executed,” he explained.

Despite not dipping below his personal best of 20.35 seconds, Taylor said he was not disappointed. “The rain was earlier today so I came out and executed and did my best.”

The veteran Merritt, who has a personal best of 19.74 seconds, interrupted Taylor's interview to congratulate the young Jamaican prodigy.

“He is a great competitor. I have seen him run some 400s and I knew he was ready to come run the 200…and I congratulate him,” said Merritt.

He added: “I had some stuff going on with my body and I was probably the person off the curve, but I kept my form and I just wanted to finish up the race strong and that's what I did.”

Meanwhile, American Anna Price won the women's hammer throw in a meet record 76.27m, which is the best in the world this year. Her compatriot Gwen Berry, who held the old record of 73.83 since 2016, was second with 71.32m. Amanda Bingson completed the American sweep with 69.89m.

Nigeria's Ese Brume won the women's long jump in a record 6.82m, which is the fifth-best in the world. The previous mark was 6.61m held by American Brittney Reese since 2009.

The third record was established by Jamal Wilson of The Bahamas, who leapt 2.28m and equalled the 13-year-old mark of Adam Shunk of the USA. It's the 15th-best jump in the world.

And the ever-improving Shericka Jackson won the 200m in 22.55 seconds (0.4 mps) as she powered away from Nigeria's world leader Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, who was second in 22.66 seconds. American Phyllis Francis was third in 22.76 seconds.

Jackson, the 2016 Olympic 400m bronze medallist, who has some fast times of 22.18, 22.28 and 22.36 this season, said she was satisfied with her performance.

“The first 100m wasn't so good but then I had another 100m to go and I am a quarter-miler, so all I had to do was run home strongly and I did that and I got the win,” said Jackson.

Jamaica's double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson won the women's international 100m in 11.06 seconds (-0.3 mps) in a clean sweep by the Jamaicans. Kerron Stewart was second in 11.25 seconds with Natasha Morrison third in 11.26 seconds.

“I am pleased, but it is still difficult to push from the blocks — but I tried to pick up and push from there. The start is not great now, but I am still working on it,” Thompson revealed.

American Ronnie Baker won the men's 100m in 10.00 (2.0 mps) just ahead of his countryman Mike Rodgers in 10.04 seconds. Jamaica's Tyquendo Tracey was third in 10.14 seconds, just outside his personal best of 10.12 seconds. Nesta Carter was sixth in 10.35 seconds.

Commonwealth Games champion Jenieve Russell easily dispatched the field in the 400m hurdles in 54.26 seconds, which was a whisker outside Lashinda Demus' record of 54.20 seconds done in 2006.

American Ashley Spencer was second in 55.23 seconds, with Jamaica's American-based Leah Nugent third in 55.37 seconds. London World Championships bronze medallist Ristananna Tracey was sixth in 56.38 seconds.

Russell, who achieved her personal best of 53.78 seconds last week, said she is aiming for Melaine Walker's national record of 52.42 seconds set in 2009.

“That's the objective. I want to get the national record and I am going to try this year and if I don't get it, definitely next year. But this year is just being consistent. It doesn't matter if I win, it doesn't matter if I lose — it's just the times and how I execute my race,” said Russell.

TJ Holmes of the US won the men's 400m hurdles in a very good 48.67 seconds ahead of Jamaica's Shawn Rowe, who was second with 49.12 seconds. American great Kerron Clement was third in 49.37 seconds, with Jamaica's Andre Clarke fourth in 49.50 seconds. Jaheel Hyde, who stumbled badly over the last hurdle, faded into fifth with 49.60 seconds.

American Jessica Beard upstaged the Jamaicans in the women's 400m and won in 50.52 seconds ahead of her countrywoman Jaide Stepter with 50.72 seconds. Stephanie-Ann McPherson was the best Jamaican and finished third in 50.82 seconds, after leaving out very late. Chrisann Gordon was fourth with 51.23 seconds.

But it was fitting that a Jamaican closed the show in winning fashion as Demish Gaye pulled the curtains down with a very good 45.08-second clocking in the men's 400m, which was a season's best.

Javon Francis chased him home to second place in 45.35 seconds, with Bralon Taplin of Grenada third with 45.41 seconds. Mathew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain finished fourth in 45.70 seconds and America's Michael Cherry was fifth with 46.20 seconds.

Gaye reversed the placing with Francis from the Commonwealth Games in April, where he was sixth in 45.56 seconds and Francis third with 45.11 seconds.

G.C. Foster College retained the male and female titles at the NCB Intercollegiate Track and field Championships yesterday at the National Stadium. In the women's section they amassed 178 points to finish ahead of the University of Technology (UTech) 161, University of the West Indies (UWI), 116, Mico University College 73, and Montego Bay Community College, 21. G.C. Foster's men were runaway winners of their section with 186 points. They were followed by UTech 147, UWI 114.4, Mico 34.5 and Knox Community College, 34. G.C. Foster's Tissana Hickling and Demar Murray were the outstanding athletes on the final day of the two-day meet. Both completed double wins.

Hickling won the triple jump to add to the 100m title she captured on Friday evening. Her winning mark in the triple jump was 12.82 metres. Ave Anna Venier, also of G.C. Foster College, was second with 12.38m. Donna Ewers of UTech was third with 11.67m. Following his triumph in the 400m hurdles the previous day, Murray defeated a strong field to capture the 400m in a personal best 46.09 seconds. UTech; s Terry Thomas, 46.88, and Devaughn Baker, 47.21, finished second and third respectively. The vastly improved,Derriann Hill of UTech was an impressive winner in the women's 400m clocking 53.01. Mico's Dawnalee Loney, 53.75, was second with third going to Candice McLeod of UWI in 57.21. UTech dominated the sprint hurdles. Shimarya Williams clocked 13.73 to capture the women's event, getting the better UWI's Okahalia Buchanan 14.63 and Melissa Walker, 15.80. UTech then bagged the first two places in the men's 110m hurdles. Rohan Cole clocked 14.08 to get the better of Marcus Brown (14.39). Odario Phillips of UWI was third in 14.58. In other finals, Daniel Glave of G.C. Foster College captured the men's 1500m in a record 3:56.76 while his teammate, Kellyann Beckford, won the women's race in 4:52.36. Beckford completed a the middle distance double by taking the 3000m in 11.17.39.